Episodic delivery of content

ABSTRACT

A system, method, and apparatus are provided that allow episodic delivery of entertainment content to a user. More specifically, an application module is created with episodic content technology, which can be purchased as a CD-ROM or downloaded from a remote server. The application module contains a current episode of the game and a technology shell to allow future episodes to be downloaded and executed. The entertainment content delivery system is implemented through a centralized server that provides new episodes of the content available for downloading at regularly scheduled intervals to the users&#39; computers. The current instantiation of the application module segregates technology components from content components of the application module to allow independent modification of either. Technological advancements are incorporated as they occur into the new episodes and are executed by the application module. An Internet-enabled game using the entertainment content delivery system communicates with users through various mechanisms, including e-mail, voice mail, fax machines, web sites, and the like.

BACKGROUND

[0001] 1. Field of Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to computer entertainmentcontent delivery; specifically, a system in which entertainment contentis delivered episodically over a network.

[0003] 2. Background of the Invention

[0004] Currently, computer entertainment (“games”) are distributed tousers as complete individual packages. For example, if a user would liketo play a new game offered by an entertainment company, the usertypically buys a CD-ROM or downloads a file(s) and data. The gameprovides a complete content or theme in which the game takes place. Forexample, if a user wants to play Myst™, the user purchases the Myst™CD-ROM and plays through the game, as fast as the user is able ordesires. Then, when the user wants to play a sequel to Myst™, the userwaits for the makers of Myst™ to produce a sequel, typically 18 monthsafter the release of the initial version of the game. The user thenpurchases the CD-ROM sequel and plays it as before. The games aretypically produced by the entertainment company using the latesttechnology available at the time of development of the application.Using the latest technology is an important marketing tool forapplication developers, as users prefer realistic and immersive gamingenvironments. However, due to the rapid pace of technologicaldevelopment, upon release, a game may already be using out-of-datetechnology. For example, during the development period of a game,technological advancements may occur multiple times. However, theselater advancements cannot be included in the end product because thedeveloper must fix the technology used to implement the game duringdevelopment. Thus, the entertainment company is continually offering anapplication module that does not provide the most current technology,and generally fails to include technological developments occurringduring the development of the game.

[0005] Additionally, the conventional method of entertainment contentdelivery ineffectively builds a mass following because users maypurchase the game and become involved in different parts of the gamingexperience at different times. Thus, a significant portion of users mayhave completed the game while many other users have just begun, and thusthese groups are segregated based on their different time-basedexperiences of the game. The conventional method also fails to providecurrent gaming experiences for those games in which current events playa role in the gaming experience. In the conventional entertainmentcontent delivery scheme, the content is fixed at the time of delivery,and cannot be updated until a new version or sequel of the game isdeveloped, typically 18 months later. As with technologicaldevelopments, current events occurring during the development of a gamemay not be able to be used, because of the need to fix the contentduring development. Additionally, the static nature of conventionalcontent delivery systems cannot take advantage of new technology, suchas the Internet for providing new types of gaming experiences.

[0006] Thus, a new method of delivering entertainment content is neededin which technological changes can be incorporated into applicationmodules as the changes occur, in which a broad following of users can bedeveloped through providing a common time-based gaming experience, andin which current events can be integrated into the content of theapplication module. Further, a new method of delivering content isneeded which can take advantage of new technologies for communicationwith a user to provide new types of gaming experiences.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0007] The present invention provides for episodic delivery ofentertainment content. More specifically, in one embodiment, anapplication module for a game or other form of entertainment content iscreated with episodic content technology, which can be purchased as aCD-ROM or downloaded from a remote server. In one embodiment, theapplication module contains a current version of the game and modularcomponent technology to allow future episodes to be downloaded andexecuted. In a preferred embodiment, an entertainment content deliverysystem is implemented through a centralized server that maintainscontent that is made available to users at periodic intervals, forexample, monthly. Thus, by providing a game in a plurality of episodes,each episode can comprise the latest technology then available.Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, technologicalimprovements can be delivered to the public as they occur.

[0008] For example, if the game is a conspiracy role-playing game inwhich users must uncover clues and solve a mystery, the first-obtainedversion of the application module contains the data to support a currentepisode of the game and the latest technology to implement the game.Then, at periodic intervals, a new episode is made available to users,and the users can play a new episode as the new episodes becomeavailable. Each of these new episodes contains the latest availabletechnology and/or content. In a preferred embodiment, the period fordelivery is monthly, and therefore any technological improvements can bedelivered to the public within months after the technologicalimprovements occur. In contrast, in conventional systems, technologicalimprovements cannot be easily implemented into a game until years afterthe improvements occur.

[0009] In accordance with the present invention, the currentinstantiation of the application module segregates technology componentsfrom content components of the application module to allow laterdeveloped technology to be seamlessly applied to previously createdepisodes. Also, as the stages of the game are enabled only in anepisodic format, all users can experience the current stagesimultaneously, thus creating the potential for a mass following of agame through the generation of simultaneously experienced gamesituations.

[0010] A further benefit of the present invention is that as games areepisodically delivered, an initial episode only requires implementationof a portion of the overall storyline and thus the time to market isvery short. In contrast, in conventional systems, an entire complexstoryline must be developed and perfected prior to initial release ofthe game. Additionally, the technology implementing the entire storylinemust be implemented and debugged. Thus, the time to market for a productmanufactured using conventional processes is much longer than the timeto market for an initial episode of content as generated by the presentinvention.

[0011] A preferred embodiment of the present invention uses the Internetas the medium for delivering the episodic content. Accordingly, variousnew mechanisms for delivering a gaming experience are also provided inaccordance with the present invention. In one embodiment, a userpreferably provides or is provided an e-mail address, a voice mailbox,and/or a facsimile number and various other content transport mechanismssuch as web sites, hot mail, and pagers, with which the contentdeliverer can communicate with the user. Then, information related tothe game is provided to the user through these various mediums as partof an episode or during the interval between episodes. These new methodsgreatly enhance the gaming experience of a user. For example, in apreferred embodiment, a character in an episode can leave voice-mailmessages to a user relating some information relevant to the game, forexample, a clue to a mystery posed by the game. E-mails and facsimilesmay also be used to relay information from within the game to users ofthe game. Thus, the episodic nature of the present invention enables newtypes of transport mechanisms to be used to deliver the entertainmentcontent to provide new types of gaming experiences.

[0012] In a further embodiment, the pace of play is managed from acentralized server to ensure the communal gaming experience is assimultaneous as possible. For example, although monthly installments ofthe game may be made available, episodic content such as clues requiredto proceed to a next stage may be made available only on a conditionalbasis. The conditions may be predicated on a user accomplishing a task,for example, discovering a certain web site, or may be time based, toensure that all players reach the same points in the game atapproximately the same time. Finally, current events can be integratedinto the game due to its episodic delivery and modular componenttechnology, thus providing a more realistic and entertaining gamingexperience. For example, for a conspiracy game, an actual current eventof nuclear secret espionage with a foreign state can be integrated intothe game, even if the application module was first delivered prior tothe events occurring or being known to the public. If the current eventis part of the back story, the current event can be incorporated in thenext installment of the game, thus providing a real-time feel to thegaming experience. In one embodiment, a news story is placed on a website and the link information is transferred to the users through one ofthe means described above. In a further embodiment, third party websites having content related to the entertainment content are used tohost the episodic content, and the application developer can place theclues at a third party site and thus direct web traffic to the thirdparty in exchange for some monetary or other benefit. Thus, the presentinvention provides delivery of episodic content of a game, resulting ina shorter time to market, increased responsiveness to technologicalchange, a communal user experience, and flexibility to incorporatecurrent events.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]FIG. 1a is an illustration of timeline for prior art contentdelivery.

[0014]FIG. 1b is an illustration of a timeline for semi-annual episodiccontent delivery.

[0015]FIG. 1c is an illustration of a timeline for monthly episodiccontent delivery.

[0016]FIG. 2 is a diagram of a production interval.

[0017]FIG. 3 is a flow chart of generating episodic content.

[0018]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a system for delivering episodiccontent.

[0019]FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a server and associatedinfrastructure for delivering episodic content.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Referring to FIG. 1a, a conventional production development cyclefor an application module is shown. Application module as used hereinrefers generally to an electronic game, but can apply to any time ofcomputer software that can be modularized and episodically delivered.The timeline illustrates the occurrence of technological improvements(T1-9) every four months, a normal rate of technological advance. Thetimeline also illustrates the release of an initial product at month 1,year 1, a first sequel at month 7, year 2, and a second sequel at month1, year 4, in accordance with a traditional eighteen-month developmentcycle. In conventional production systems, the first six months of acycle are used to develop a storyline for a product and develop thetechnological platform with which the storyline is to be implemented.After the first six months, the technology for the product is typicallyfixed. The remainder of the cycle is used for further refinement of thestory and debugging the finished game product. Therefore, the firstsequel to an application module can only incorporate technologicalimprovements occurring within the first six months of the developmentcycle. Technological improvements are advances in the state of the artas related to rendering, displaying, storing, and transmittingapplication modules, as well as, in accordance with the presentinvention, new media access technology. Such improvements include newgraphics technology, new video or audio compression technology, new webcontent delivery technology, new 3D rendering schemes, new web-enabledcommunication devices, optimizing existing technology for improvementsin processing speed and memory capabilities.

[0021] In accordance with the present invention, episodes are preferablydelivered episodically over the Internet. Episodes may be delivered,i.e., transferred to a user's computer, or they may be made available,i.e., located on a central server and access to the episode permitted,in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, new mediaaccess technology can also be utilized in future episodes. For example,a current episode may require a user to download JPEG files to viewdocuments that are part of the content of the application module.However, an application developer may want to take advantage of newerdocument representation technology, such as the Adobe Acrobat Reader™,and therefore supply-this technology to the use in a future episode. Theuse of new media access technology is also considered to be atechnological improvement.

[0022] However, as shown in FIG. 1a, the conventional systems are unableto provide technological improvements to users close in time to when thetechnological improvements are available to the application developers.

[0023] For example, in the conventional system the first sequel releasedeighteen months after the initial product's release, incorporates onlyTechnological Improvement 1 (T1), because only T1 occurred within theinitial six-month development period. T2-T4 occurred too late to beincluded in the first sequel. The second sequel, released another 18months later, incorporates only T1-6. Thus, there is a significant lagbetween when a technological improvement occurs and when thetechnological improvement can be incorporated into the applicationmodule and then released to the public. For example, T2 occurs in month9 of year 1, and is not incorporated until the 3^(rd) sequel in month 1,year 4, twenty-nine months after the technological improvement occurs.If the electronic game is reality-based, current events also cannot beincorporated in a timely fashion in a conventional entertainment contentdelivery system. If a major event occurs in month 10, year 1, it willnot be incorporated into a product using conventional development cyclesuntil month 1, year 4, twenty-four months after its occurrence.

[0024]FIG. 1b illustrates a timeline of an application module deliverysystem in accordance with the present invention. The initial version ofan application module having episodic content technology is madeavailable in month 1, year 1. This initial version supports content foronly an initial episode. Thus, the initial version of the applicationmodule can be delivered to market much more quickly than competitor'sproducts using conventional systems because only a portion of thestoryline must be implemented. Subsequent application modules havingsubsequent episodes are made available every six months, in thisexemplary embodiment. The interval for making episodes available canvary in accordance with the present invention, depending on thecomplexity of the episodes. However, the intervals should be limited intime to provide the advantages discussed herein. As can be seen, thisshortened development cycle allows for technological improvements to bedelivered to the public closer in time to when the technologicalimprovements occur. For example, in Episode 3, released in month 1, year2, T1 and T2 are already incorporated. In conventional systems, as shownin FIG. 1a, T1 is not delivered to the public until month 6, year 2.Table 1 below illustrates in more detail the differences in the time tomarket for technological improvements. TABLE 1 Difference Between TimeWhen Technological Improvement is Released to Public using ConventionalSystem and Episodic System (In Months) Delivery Schedule T1 T2 T3 T4 T5T6 Episodic (six-monthly) 6 24 18 12 12 6 Episodic (monthly) 12 25 22 1813 10

[0025] As can be seen, in the six-month episodic system, T1 is released6 months ahead of when it would be released to the public using theconventional system. T2 is released two years ahead, T4 and T5 arereleased one year ahead, and so on. This is a significant difference inthe time to market for technological improvements. Thus, the popularityof a product implemented in accordance with the present invention willbe greatly increased because the product will contain technologicaladvances that other competing products will not contain for a year ormore after the product is released.

[0026] Similar to the conventional cycle, the first month of aproduction interval in accordance with the present invention is used torefine the storyline and generate the technology to implement the story.Therefore, technological improvements can be incorporated if they occurwithin the first month of the interval. Thus, Episode 4, released month7, year 2, incorporates T1-3. As shown in FIG. 1b, by the time Episode 7is released, T1-7 are incorporated into the application module,providing a more sophisticated gaming experience than a competitor'sproduct using a conventional production cycle.

[0027] A preferred production cycle is shown in FIG. 1c, in whichepisodes are generated and made available on a monthly basis. Althoughepisodes could be generated and made available in a single monthlycycle, in order to provide a buffer in the event of an episode beingdelayed, three episodes are initially produced and stored prior to thefirst episode being delivered to a user. Thereafter, episodes aregenerated each month, but are released with a two-month delay. Thus,problems arising in the generation of an individual episode can besolved without unduly impacting the delivery scheduled. As can be seenin FIG. 1c, this monthly delivery cycle having an initial buffer enablessimilar improved incorporation of technological improvements. Thetimeline illustrates the release times of each episode. If athree-episode buffer is built in, then episode 4 is being developed whenepisode 1 is released. Therefore, T1 is incorporated into Episode 8 asit is being developed (at episode 5's release date), and is available tothe public in month 8, year 1. T2 is incorporated into Episode 12, andis therefore available to the public in month 12, year 1. Thus, as shownin Table 1, this delivery cycle also provides a faster time-to-marketfor technological improvements than a conventional production cycle. T1is released 12 months ahead of when it would be released using theconventional system, T2 is released 25 months ahead, and T3 is released22 months ahead. Of course, if the monthly delivery schedule isinterrupted by a hiatus (e.g., vacations for application developerteam), the schedule is delayed, but even if a six-month hiatus is takenafter 9 episodes, upon the return all of the technological improvementsoccurring during the hiatus can be incorporated into the first episodeafter the release, still providing a faster time to market for atechnological change in comparison to conventional systems.

[0028]FIG. 2 illustrates a production interval 200 in more detail. Asshown, in an interval 200 of a certain time period, the first portion isa technological improvement portion 204 of the interval 200, and it iswithin this interval that new technology can be incorporated into theepisode under development in the interval. After a certain period oftime, the technology available to be used to implement an episodebecomes fixed, and later technological improvements cannot beincorporated until the next interval 200. Additionally, forreality-based games, current events can also be incorporated in acurrent event content interval 208 as shown in FIG. 2. In accordancewith the present invention, content is implemented in a separate contentmodule, and the technology for implementing the content is implementedin a separate module. This allows the content to be independentlymodifiable of the technology, and allows the content to be modifiedlater than the technology. As shown in FIG. 2, the current event contentinterval extends much further into the cycle than the technologicalimprovement interval 208. Thus, episodes can appear to be very currentupon their release because late-breaking current events can beincorporated into an episode even if the technology for incorporatingthe episode is fixed. Typically, if the current event is related to theback story of a game, the current event can be quickly worked in to thenext installment, by a character reference or through posting a link tonews story describing the event on a website as discussed below. If thecurrent event is to be incorporated into the plot, the event may not beincorporated for several installments, as the plot is being rewritten toaccommodate the event.

[0029]FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method forgenerating episodic content in accordance with the present invention.First, in this embodiment, a storyline arc for the application isgenerated 300. The storyline arc comprises the overall or substantialportion of the plot of the application, and can include creation ofrecurring characters that appear in most episodes. The storyline arcgeneration is typically performed in conventional methods of creatingapplication content as well. However, in accordance with the presentinvention, the storyline is deconstructed 304 into smaller segments. Thesegments may correspond to episodes, or the segments may be largerpieces of the storyline. In this embodiment, the larger piecesthemselves are later segmented into episodes. By dividing the storylineinto segments larger than an episode, the application developer is freerto modify and alter individual episodes based on current events or newideas, and still meet the overall direction of the story. Also, bysegmenting the original storyline into larger pieces, the work ofdetermining precisely what content belongs in a specific episode isdispersed over the individual intervals, thus shortening the time tomarket for the initial episode.

[0030] Additionally, the episodic nature of the content delivery allowsthe application developer to alter the storyline arc after the initialdelivery transparent to the user. Thus, if the current storyline doesnot appear to be attracting interest, the application developer cantransparently alter the storyline arc on the fly, and deconstruct thenew storyline into new segments and new episodes to the user. Incontrast, in conventional systems, if a storyline is not attractive tousers, the application developer cannot alter the application module,and the application module may suffer from poor sales. Recurringcharacters are also typically created in the initial stages of thecreating a storyline, and these characters may be implemented in as manydifferent segments as required. However, due to the episodic nature ofthe content creation, new characters can be created to interact with therecurring characters on an episodic basis. The new characters can recurwith greater frequency if there is popular interest in a new character,thus driving up sales of future episodes. Further, the ability to addnew characters allows the application developer to alter the storylineeasily during the life of the application. Although the method has beendescribed as deconstructing an already existing storyline arc, thepresent invention can also be implemented by creating the episodesserially in time without requiring deconstruction of an existingstoryline. In this embodiment, episodes or segments are createdinitially in an episodic format, and either are designed to carry out astoryline arc or, in some cases, may not carry out any overall storylinearc but may be individual stories connected only by recurringcharacters.

[0031] After the storyline has been deconstructed, or initial segmentshave been generated, a technological platform for implementing a firstepisode is created 308. The technological platform is the technologyrequired to implement the content of the story. Typically, thetechnological platform will include the code for generating an animatedor otherwise represented world and characters that interact in thatworld, the interface to user computers, and other technology used toimplement games for computer systems. In accordance with the presentinvention, the technological platform is implemented separately from thecontent, to allow modification of the technological platform withoutrequiring modification to the content, and vice versa. In oneembodiment, the initial technology used to implement the storyline usescommercially available technology using, for example, ShockWave (™)Flash technology from MacroMedia, RealAudio/RealVideo (™) technologyfrom RealMedia, and other similar technologies. These technologies arechosen in part, as discussed in more detail below, because the preferredembodiment of the present invention utilizes Internet technologies,media, and content as a part of the gaming experience. Thus, in thisembodiment, the technology platform comprises the latest or customversions of these technologies from the third party vendors supplyingthe technology.

[0032] Next, the content for the first episode is completed 312. Thistypically entails specific storyboarding of the action to take place inthe first episode, the dialogue, and a determination of which charactersare present in the first episode. If larger segments were deconstructedfrom the storyline arc, then at this point the amount of the story to berelated in the first episode must be determined. After the content iscomplete, the content is implemented 316 using the technology of thetechnological platform to create the complete first episode. Then, thefirst episode is delivered 320 or is made available to the users. Asdiscussed above, the time to market for the delivery of the initialepisode is much shorter than in conventional systems as only the detailsof the initial episode are required to be finalized, implemented, anddebugged. In contrast, in conventional systems, the entire storylinemust be finalized, implemented, and debugged, which takes a much longerperiod of time.

[0033] In one embodiment, as discussed above, a predefined number ofepisodes are stored at the server as a buffer prior to delivering thefirst episode. The buffer period provides more flexibility in theschedule for delivering episodes, in the event that a problem arisesduring the generation of an episode. For example, if a system has abuffer period of three months (monthly delivery with three months ofepisodes pre-stored), and an important content developer becomes ill,delivery of the next episode is not in jeopardy. Of course, the timerequired to generate the episode under development is shortened, but theimpact of the delay is spread out over the buffer period.

[0034] After the first episode is delivered, the application developermodifies 324 the technological platform with any technologicalimprovements that have occurred. As discussed above, these improvementsinclude advancements in 3D rendering techniques, the ability to takeadvantage of faster user terminals, and any other advancement incomputer technology relevant to the application module. The improvementsmay be developed internally, or may require the incorporation ofimprovements made by the third-party vendors supplying the technology.In one embodiment, to minimize the time required to transfer newtechnology to the user, technological improvements are transferred tothe user incrementally. For example, if an application developer isaware of a new media technology that will be useful in a current episodeunder development, the files required to install the new technology canbe attached to the episodes that have not yet been transferred to theusers. Thus, if a production schedule is three episodes ahead (a typicalschedule), and if the files required to execute the new technologycomprise 21 Mb, 7 Mb can be attached to each of the three episodes thatare to be delivered prior to the episode using the improvement. Thus,the transfer time of the new technology can be minimized responsive tothe episodic delivery of the present invention. In contrast, inconventional systems, if a game is downloaded, the user downloads theentire file, which may take an extremely long time and may beunsuccessful because of the amount of time required for the transfer,due to connection breaks and the like.

[0035] At the same time, in one embodiment, any current events relevantto the storyline are identified 328 for inclusion into the storylinearc. As discussed above, this allows the application module to becontemporary with changing events. For example, if a war is initiatedbetween two countries in the real world, this event can easily beincorporated into the next episode. This ability to include currentevents enhances the gaming experience for users, in contrast toconventional systems which could not include the current event untilyears after it occurs.

[0036] Next, the content for the next episode is completed 332,including any current events deemed relevant, and the next episode isimplemented 336 using the current technological platform. Then, the newepisode is delivered 340 or stored for later delivery. Thus, the newepisode can incorporate the latest technological improvements, thelatest in current events, and therefore provide a richer experience forthe user then applications modules producing using conventional systems.Moreover, application modules having the latest technology and currentevents have a significant marketing advantage over competing productsthat do not. Although the above methodology has been described asoccurring in a specific order, the order is exemplary and is notintended to be a limitation on the present invention.

[0037]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an application module delivery system440 in accordance with the present invention for delivering episodicentertainment content to at least one user. A plurality of userterminals 428 are coupled to a network 424, which may be the Internet,or any other network of connected computing devices. User terminals arepersonal computers, or any other processing device capable of processingand displaying for view computer-implemented content. Anapplication-developer server 400 is coupled to the network 424, and anapplication developer terminal 404 is coupled to the server 400. Theapplication developer server 400 may use a dedicated server or may use ashared server in accordance with the present invention.

[0038] The application developer generates episodic application modules416 (“episodes”) on the application developer terminal(s) 404 and storesthe episodes 416 on the server 400. The episodes 416 may include onlythe content module 412 of the current episode 416, or may includetechnological improvements, which are preferably stored as a separatetechnology module 408 on the server 400 for transfer to the user. Theapplication developer terminal 404 is illustrated as a single terminalin FIG. 4, but is typically implemented as a network of computers uponwhich teams of application developers may work together. As discussedabove, the episodes 416 are logically composed of a technology module408 and a content module 412. While in progress, the content module 412and the technology module 408 of an episode 416 in production aredeveloped by the teams of application developers assigned to theirproduction. Upon completion, the content is then implemented and testedusing the technology of the technology module 408 and the finishedepisode 416, comprising the two modules 408, 412, is stored on theserver 400. If the technology has not been altered since the lastepisode, the content is developed to take advantage of the previouslydelivered technology, but no extra technological components are requiredto be generated and delivered in accordance with the present invention.Thus, only content files are transferred in this situation. Astechnological improvements occur only periodically, this systemminimizes the size of most episodes to be delivered to user's terminals428. In contrast, in conventional systems, technology is alwaysdelivered regardless of whether the user already has the technology,thus wasting valuable user resources.

[0039] In one embodiment, users access the episodes from their userterminals 428 through the network 424. In a preferred embodiment, theserver 400 is a restricted access server, and users gain access to theepisodes 416 only upon payment of a fee, one-time, monthly, or the like.Upon accessing the server 400, the current episode 416 and, optionally,previously released episodes 416, are available to the user. The usercan then download the episode 416 and play the episode 416 on the user'sterminal 428. Upon completion of the episode 416, the user must waituntil the next interval 200 before obtaining the new episode 416. In analternate embodiment, the application modules are transmitted to theuser's terminals 428. This may occur as a regularly scheduled delivery(for example, if the user has subscribed to the application developer'sservice), or the current episode 416 may be delivered upon request atany time during the interval 200.

[0040] In an embodiment in which episodes 416 are delivered upon arequest, users access the server 400 through an Internet connection, andmay be required to submit a user ID and password. In this embodiment,server 400 verifies the password and the user ID and allows the user toaccess the current episode 416. In one embodiment, only current episodes416 are permitted to be accessed. An access window is generated by theapplication developer to specify a period of time within which users mayaccess the current episode 416. After the access window for an episode416 has expired, the episode 416 can no longer be accessed by the user.The access window may be generated by creating an authorization programfor each episode 416 that is dependent upon the date and time access isrequested. Therefore, the application developer can require users toplay an episode 416 at approximately the same time frame by allowingaccess or scheduling delivery during the access windows. A furtherbenefit in this embodiment to the application developer is that bylimiting access to users of only current episode 416 during a limitedaccess window, the economic value of past episodes 416 is enhanced.Additionally, in accordance with the present invention, the accesswindow can be used to ensure that multiple users are playing the sameepisode 416 at the same time. This shared entertainment experience isone of the advantages of the application module delivery system of thepresent invention as users enjoy playing in an environment in which theyknow that multiple other users are also experiencing the sameentertainment in approximately the same time frame. Additionally, as theusers are playing the entertainment at the same time, they can conversewith each other about game strategy and the like. For example, if amystery game is developed in accordance with the present invention, andthe interval 200 is a month, then each month users will access the newepisode 416, play the new episode 416, and will be able to discuss theircommon experiences during the interval prior to the new episode'srelease. However, in a conventional format, a game is released once at acertain time, and users can begin play at any time. There is no commonexperience; and in the more typical scenario, many people have completedthe game in its entirety before many others have begun the game. Thislessens the shared gaming experience, which many users enjoy.

[0041] As discussed above, in accordance with the present invention, theapplication modules of the present invention are delivered episodically.One issue with providing application modules episodically is thepreferable capability of allowing users who did not participate inprevious episodes 416 to join and participate fully in on-going episodes416. In a preferred embodiment, the first episode 416 of an applicationmodule purchased by a user, either through transfer from a server 400 oras a CD-ROM or other data storage device, contains a technological shell432 (as shown in FIG. 4) to provide resident technology required forenabling the playback of the episodes. The technological shell 432 isprovided regardless if it is the first episode 416 of an applicationmodule or a later episode 416 that is “first” for the specific user. Thetechnological shell 432 is the platform that is updated during the lifeof the product as technological improvements arise. For example, if athird-party media player serves as the basis for episode playback, theinitial episode 416 obtained by the user will have the entire set offiles required to implement the latest version of the third-party mediaplayer being used by the application developer. A full set of thetechnology updates required to view the latest episode 416 is alsostored on the user's terminal to enable the viewing and playing of thecontent of the current episode 416. The combination of the latestupdates and the resident technology is maintained on the user's terminal428 as the technological shell 432. In one embodiment, the technology ismaintained as a system tray application to provide ease of use and ofupdating. In one embodiment, the technological shell is maintained on aseparate server 400, and the users access the centralized server 400 toplay the episodes. In this embodiment, the user terminals 428 are notrequired to store the episodes 416 or shell 432, but need only accessthe server through a web browser, or the like, to access the episodes416.

[0042] In addition, in one embodiment, a resident content module 444 isalso provided with the initial episode obtained by the user. Thisresident content module 444 is preferably a background story that allusers must experience prior to joining in an ongoing episodic deliverysystem. The background story preferably provides an explanation of thestory and an introduction to characters and an explanation of theepisodic content delivery system. In one embodiment, an initial episodemay provide a summary of the content that has been relayed to the usersto this point. Alternatively, the first version purchased does notprovide a recap of previously delivered episodes, but those episodes aremade available for the user to purchase and play separately.

[0043] In contrast to conventional systems, subsequent deliveries ofepisodes 416 are smaller than the initial version, as the technologicalmodule 408 of the new application modules need comprise only that codethat is new and must replace existing code to implement the newtechnological improvements to enable the current content. As discussedabove, existing technology that has not been affected by theimprovements can be left unaltered, thus minimizing the size ofsubsequent application modules. To determine whether a user requires afirst version or a subsequent version of an application module, in anembodiment in which the user accesses the server 400 for the newepisode, the server 400 can query the user's terminal 428 to determinethe version, if any, of the episode 416 stored on the user's terminal428. If the episode 416 is current, then the server 400 transfers thenext episode with only the new technological improvements occurringsince the last episode 416. If the episode 416 stored is not the latestepisode 416, or if the user does not have a previous episode 416 at all,the server 400 transfers or makes available a full installment of filesto upgrade the user's terminal 428 to the current level of technology.Thus, by modularizing the content from the technology, the improvementsto the technology can be made seamlessly, and only as required for anindividual user. In contrast, in conventional systems for deliveringentertainment content, each new sequel transfers an entire set oftechnology, even if it is redundant to technology used in the previousapplication.

[0044] In a further embodiment, the episodes 416 are developed usingepisodic content technology that allows the previous episodes 416 to beupgraded to the current level of technology. In this embodiment, thetechnology and content are still modularized, and when the technologyfor later episodes changes, the technology modules 408 of the previousepisodes 416 are replaced with the latest version of the technology.Thus, in contrast to conventional systems, earlier episodes 416 can beplayed or experienced using the most current technology, allowingearlier episodes 416 to appear seamlessly integrated with the laterepisodes 416.

[0045] One advantage of using Internet-based platform to execute theapplication module of the present invention is that the third-partytechnology is self-updating. Thus, if an application developer choosesto use the commercially available ShockWave platform from MacroMedia,Inc., as MacroMedia updates ShockWave, MacroMedia provides the updatesfor users. In many cases, the user is notified directly by the ShockWaveweb site when an update is available, and either automatically updatesor provides an option to be updated to the user. These advances aretransparent to the application developer, whose content will now beenriched by the third party's technological improvements without havingto devote any resources to incorporating the technological improvement.Thus, by using the system of the present invention, applications canimprove technologically through the efforts of third-party entities,without the involvement of an application developer.

[0046] Another advantage of the episodic delivery of the presentinvention is that large files can be delivered piecemeal. As describedabove, large technology improvements can be delivered in parts duringseveral episodes. However, in accordance with the present invention,video and audio files are also a part of the gaming experience. Thesefiles are typically large and require a great deal of time to download.In accordance with the present invention, these files are alsodownloaded incrementally during prior episodes to minimize the impact ofthe transfer of data to the user. In an alternate embodiment, abackground downloader is maintained on the server 400. The backgrounddownloader transfers data to the user terminals 428 whenever the user isonline. A typical downloader is commercially available, for example,from Marimba, Inc. Thus, by employing the episodic delivery via theInternet in accordance with the present invention, backgrounddownloading can be used to provide seamless and transparent transfer ofdata to the user. For example, if a 20 Mb video file of amock-presidential debate is part of a future episode, the video isplaced on the server 400 in advance to allow its transfer in thebackground to all of the users that subscribe to the service. Then, whenthe episode 416 that incorporates this video is delivered to the user,the video is already present on the user's terminal 428.

[0047] The episodic and Internet aspects of the present inventionprovide for a unique and rich entertainment experience not possible withconventional systems. In one embodiment, the content comprising theepisodes 416 to be delivered to the users are constructed as independentunits to be delivered to the user through various transport mechanisms,allowing the game experience to be integrated into the user's life. Thedelivery of episodic content in independent segments through thetransport mechanisms provides a realistic dimension not found inconventional gaming technology. For example, the application may sendepisodic content as part of an episode 416 such as an e-mail messagefrom a villain character and to the user that states “I would advise youto stop poking around in matters that you don't understand.” The usermay receive this message through various transport mechanisms at work,home, or a special account maintained for the game. Additionally, theepisodic content may comprise voice mail messages left from charactersin the episodes that further the plot or atmosphere of the game. Forexample, a voice mail message may be from a character requesting “Youmust call 1-800-555-5555 to learn more!”. The user will then dial thisnumber from any telephone and discover the clue. Moreover, theapplication may direct the user to different web sites, some of whichare maintained by the application developer and some that areindependent, to search for clues relating to the game. A special webinterface is developed in one embodiment that allows the users to accessthe web in the conventional fashion, but if the users are playing thegame, structure the user's web interaction around the game. For example,if a user uses the search engine provided to search for a non-game item,the search results will be generated in the traditional fashion.However, if they search on the name of a character in the game, forexample, the search engine will retrieve actual search results as wellas game-generated search results. The game-generated search resultsleads the users to more episodic content. Thus, in accordance with thepresent invention, the gaming technology of the present inventionprovides an immersive, realistic, and ubiquitous gaming experiencethrough the delivery of episodic content over various transportmechanisms.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 5, one system in accordance with the presentinvention preferably incorporates several different methods ofcommunication and types of episodic content. Although FIG. 5 lists aplurality of types of interactions, all or none of these may be used inconnection with the present invention. First, FIG. 5 illustrates anexperience server 500 that serves as the focal point for theimplementation of the web-based gaming technology of the presentinvention. The experience server 500 is a UNIX™ or similar server as isknown in the art. The experience server 500 is coupled to a database508. The database 508 is preferably a SQL™ or other similar databasestructure. The database 508 maintains information on each episode, aplayer profile field for each player, and a player status field for eachplayer. The episode information includes the game logic as well as theepisodic content for the episode. The game logic are the instructionsthat control the game operation. The asset information is informationregarding different assets stored on the content server 502. Assets aredifferent multimedia content objects in accordance with the presentinvention, for example, e-mail or voice mail messages, or video or audioclips, PDF files, or the like. The content server 502 is a conventionalserver that maintains the assets for retrieval and delivery. The assetinformation, in one embodiment, identifies the asset related toparticular episode and an associated transport mechanism. Then, theexperience server 500 can use the asset information to retrieve theasset from the content server 502. Alternatively, the experience server500 can use the asset identification to instruct the content server 502to deliver the identified asset across the appropriate transportmechanism 504.

[0049] An episode 416 itself in this embodiment is a set of differentprogram modules or actions that are triggered based on user actions. Forexample, if a user enters a name of a character into a search engine,and selects the correct link from the list of search results 512, theuser will access the associated web page. At the same time, the userterminal 532 transmits a message to the experience server 500 notifyingthe experience server 500 that the user has reached the correct webpage. If the experience server 500 itself is serving the web page, theuser terminal 532 does not have to notify the experience server 500, asthe user's selection of the link itself serves as notification. The gamelogic of the experience server 500 in this example then determines thenext action to take, for example, the delivery of some episodic contentto the user to further the plot of the episode 416 responsive to theuser having selected the correct link.

[0050] For example, reaching the web site may require the experienceserver 500 to send an e-mail message to the user terminal 532. Thee-mail message preferably further develops the storyline that the webpage is presenting. For example, the web page may be a news site thathas a story describing CIA experiments on killer bees, and referencing aProfessor Brown who is an expert in the field. The subsequent e-mailmessage may then be delivered from “Professor Brown”. Thus, the userreceives the e-mail message from Professor Brown only after the user haslearned about Professor Brown in the news story. Thus, the experienceserver 500 of the present invention is able to control game play in aconditional manner, allowing users to experience new parts of the gamein real time as they achieve certain goals. The status of a player ismaintained in the player status field of the database 508. This enablesthe experience server 500 to prevent the user from accessing parts ofthe game that are not intended to be available to the user until certaincriteria are met. For example, if the user had not been aware ofProfessor Brown from playing the game, but typed in “Professor Brown”into a game search engine (if, for example, a friend told him aboutProfessor Brown), the experience server checks the player status fieldto determine if the user had reached the killer bee news story web site.If the user had not reached the site, the user is provided with ordinarysearch results retrieved from the web. If the user had reached the website, special search results related to the game's Professor Brown (forexample, a curriculum vitae) may be returned in response to the search.

[0051] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, anepisode is a group of related conditional actions. After the finalcondition is met and the last action of an episode is made available tothe user, the episode 416 is complete. The next episode 416 is thenavailable for play at the next release point of the applicationdeveloper. For example, if the episodes 416 are to be made availablemonthly, the first action of each episode 416 will occur each month,assuming that the last condition of the previous episode 416 has beenmet by the user. In one embodiment, if a user joins a game after severalepisodes 416 have been made available, the user can play the originalepisodes 416 at his own pace until the user has caught up. Then, theuser can access episodes 416 as they become available. In a monthlysubscription fee model, the condition for delivery of the first actionof the next episode 416 is whether payment has been received for theepisode 416. Payment information is also maintained in the player statusfield. Thus, the experience server 500 will check the player statusfield to determine whether a user has paid for an episode 416 prior tomaking the episode available. In one embodiment, if a user has not paid,then at the time the next episode 416 is available, the experienceserver 500 sends an e-mail notifying the user that the next episode 416is available upon payment.

[0052] The experience server 500 communicates with the user through avariety of different methods. Various transport mechanisms 504 arecoupled to the experience server 500 to provide the ability to transmitand receive content to and from the user through unified messagingapplications 520. Unified messaging applications are any knowntechnology that can be used to communicate with a user. For example, ina preferred embodiment, a user is either provided an e-mail address 521or the experience server 500 stores an existing e-mail address of theuser in the player profile field. Then, in this embodiment, one of thetransport mechanisms 504 is an e-mail application program that can sendand retrieve e-mails to remote users (for example, Outlook™). Theexperience server 500 may also have its own custom e-mail application.The messages can provide a task or puzzle to solve, new informationrelating to the content of the storyline, or can serve an administrativefunction for managing the game. To add to the realism of the game, theexperience server 500 may send messages “from” characters within thegame to the users. For example, an e-mail message may comprise clues tothe game such as, “The secret identity of the saboteur is located athttp:\\XXX”, or may be include a video file that has mysteriously“turned up” and should be viewed by the users.

[0053] In another embodiment, a voicemail program 522 is provided to theuser. In this embodiment, the experience server 500 retrieves voicecontent from the content server 502 and delivers the voice content tothe server that supports the voice mail program when appropriate. In oneembodiment, the voice mail messaging is a provided by a third partyentity that hosts a server for recording, storing, and delivering voicemessages. In this embodiment, the transport mechanism is the telephone,ISDN, fiber optic, or the like connection between the experience server500 and the voice mail server. Then, the voice mail server notifies theuser that the user has received a message, for example, by sending ane-mail to the user, or posting a message on a web site hosted by thevoice mail server, or the like. Then, the user will contact the voicemail server through the web 516 to retrieve the voice mail message. Avoice mail system 530 connected to a user's telephone may also be used.In this embodiment, the user may be given a telephone number to call todiscover a further clue. The telephone number is then associated with aconventional voicemail system 530 that can play a message back to theuser. In this embodiment, the user communicates with the applicationusing the user's telephone 528, providing more complexity to the game,i.e., characters from an episode can “leave” messages to the users ofthe game, creating a more realistic gaming experience. For example, acharacter may leave a message such as “I will be at XXX chat roomtonight, meet me there.” Then, the users will connect to that chat roomon the third party site 510 to find out what the character has to say. Afax 523 service is also used in a preferred embodiment. In thisembodiment, the transport mechanism is also a telephone or otherconnection to a server that maintains faxes. The experience server 500maintains telephone numbers or user IDs in the player profile fields.Then, the experience server 500 then distributes the fax information tothe fax server or directly to a user's fax machine. Fax machines 505,computer implemented or separate, can then be used to send paperdocuments to users as appropriate in the game. In this embodiment, forexample, a character of the game may be the “boss” of the usercharacters, and in one episode the users may be terminated from theirvirtual job. In this example, a termination memorandum may be faxed tothe users, providing a realistic touch to the gaming experience. Thisinteractive and ongoing gameplay is a feature unique to a systememploying the methodology of the present invention. In one embodiment,the application developer enables all three technologies for all of itsusers, by providing each user with an e-mail address, a fax number fortheir computer, and a voice-mail box.

[0054] Another method of delivering content to a user in accordance withthe present invention is through the use of web sites, either thirdparty web sites 510 or through application developer designed custom webpages 506. For example, a clue task for a game may be to discover aperson's secret identity. The clue may indicate the web site or websites to which the application developer had the identity information.The users of the game will then access the web site or web sites inorder to discover the identity. If the web site is a third party site510, in a preferred embodiment, the application developer can sell theweb traffic to the site 510. This provides a reverse “targetedadvertising” mechanism as the application developer can select web sites510 whose content is related to the game, and therefore the users of thegame will be self-selected consumers who already have an interest in thesubject matter of the web site 510. Thus, the application developer candeliver a known amount of web traffic comprising consumers who are morelikely to be interested in a web site than an average web surfer.

[0055] For example, if the game is a conspiracy theory game, the targetweb site 510 may be a subscription-based UFO portal site, that has a“free” area that the users can visit in order to find the answer to theclue task. While searching for the clue answers, the users may becomeindependently interested in the UFO site. This type of targeted consumermatching is very valuable in industry and thus, the system of thepresent invention can provide alternate revenue streams for theapplication developer. In addition, the use of a third party web site510 or web site 506 hosted by the application developer as part of agaming experience provides a unique and attractive gaming experience notprovided by conventional gaming applications. The entire web isavailable to the application developer to integrate into an applicationmodule, providing a rich tapestry from which the application developercan create a storyline. As most users of games are internet-familiar,those users enjoy surfing around the Web, and the experience of surfingthe Web s part of a mission of the game will be enjoyable to them.

[0056] One particular example of the use of web sites 510 in accordancewith the present invention is through the posting of news stories. Newsstories may be provided to a user at a news site 506 maintained by theapplication developer, or at a third party site 510 as discussed above.The news stories may be actual news stories that are related to thecontent of the storyline, or may be fabricated news stories. Fabricatednews stories may either be completely fictional, in which case they aresimilar to the e-mail messages described above, or they may link actualnews stories to the fictional events occurring in the application. Forexample, if an actual current event was the NASA loss of a Mars probe,the actual story could be posted on the news web site, if theapplication module related to space and conspiracy. An e-mail messagemay be sent to the users advising them to check the news site 510. Inaddition, a fabricated news story could be then be published at the site510 that purports to link the loss of the probe to a report finding thatthe probe was deliberately sabotaged to prevent the public from findingout there are aliens on Mars. This allows application developers to takeadvantage of relevant current events as they occur, and not wait untilthey are incorporated into a future episode.

[0057] Another example of communicating through the use of the Web isthrough search engines that provide search results 512 customized forthe game. For example, in one embodiment, a transport mechanism is anapplication-designed search engine that receives queries from a user.The search engine transmits the query to the centralized server 500 thatthen determines the results of the query based on the player status andthe game content. As discussed above, if a condition to content is theuser transmitting a specific search term, the experience server 500 willverify that the submitted term matches the required term, and thenrelease the next block of content. In one embodiment, that block ofcontent may include a search result 512 that is related to the storythat will provide the user with information if the user selects theresult 512. Other results are preferably delivered that are obtainedfrom performing an ordinary search on the Web using either a customsearch engine or a third party search engine. Thus, the search enginefeature of the Web is integrated into the gaming experience of thepresent invention.

[0058] Another method of interacting with a user is through instantmessaging 524 and pagers 526. Both of these devices allow instantcommunication with a user, adding a dynamic element to the game. Forexample, if the time is 6:30 p.m., a page message may state that theuser must log online at 6:37 p.m. to view a live web broadcast. In thisembodiment, the experience server 500 is coupled to a pager network,typically maintained by a third party such as SkyTel™. The playerprofile fields would store the user pager information, and responsive tothe game logic determining that the user should be paged, the experienceserver retrieves the pager information and transmits a message(typically e-mail) to the pager network. The pager network then convertsthe e-mail message into a format compatible with the pager system, anddelivers the message to the user.

[0059] Instant messaging can provide similar interaction; however, themessages can only be transmitted when the user is online. In thisembodiment, for example, a pager message may request a user to log on tothe Internet, and once logged on, the instant messaging system 524 canbe used to interact with the user. For example, a character in theepisode may conduct a “conversation” with the user. The character wouldtypically send a limited number of predefined messages that further theplot or the atmosphere of the game as appropriate to the user's positionin the game. In this embodiment, the experience server 500 is coupled toan instant messaging network 524 that can provide instant messages tothe users. The experience server 500 stores the instant messagingaddress information in the player profiles. When the player statusinformation and game logic indicate that an instant message should besent, the experience server 500 can request that the user log onto theInternet (using voicemail, e-mail, pager, or the like), and then deliverthe instant messages to the users.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, theexperience server 500 provides tools 534 to the user that are part ofthe gaming experience. A tool 534 is any interactive digital object thatthe user can operate independent of the episode 416. These tools 534 aredownloaded prior to enabling an episode 416 requiring a tool 534, andthe user as required by the episode can then use the tool 534. Forexample, in one episode a secret password must be obtained by a user inorder to access information in a later episode. However, the password ismaintained in a “server” that is security protected. A “hacking” tool534 is then provided to the user that simulates hacking into the serverto obtain the password. Other tools 534 could include a simpledecryptographer that can decrypt simple encrypted codes, or an MP3player for playing MP3 files, including application-related MP3 files.In a Windows™ environment, the tools 534 may be stored as system trayapplications that are maintained on the user's task bar to provide easyaccess when needed.

[0061] Thus, the present invention provides an improved delivery systemfor delivering application modules to a plurality of users, and providesnew methods of interacting with a user to provide an entertaining andrealistic gaming experience. It is to be understood that the specificmechanisms and techniques that have been described are merelyillustrative of one application of the principles of the invention.Numerous additional modifications may be made to the apparatus describedabove without departing from the true spirit of the invention. Moreover,although specific functionality has been ascribed to different steps ofthe above described method and modules of the above described circuitry,these functionalities can be performed in different orders and bydifferent modules as would be known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a network comprising a content server and aplurality of connected user terminals, a method for delivering contentcomprising a storyline for an electronic game to at least one user, themethod comprising: deconstructing the storyline into a plurality ofepisodes; implementing an episode into an episodic game module; andtransmitting the episodic game module to at least one user terminal. 2.The method of claim 1 further comprising: scheduling intervals forgeneration and transmission of episodic game modules.
 3. The method ofclaim 2, further comprising: responsive to a technological improvementoccurring during a first part of an interval for generation andtransmission of an episodic game module, incorporating the technologicalimprovement into the episodic game module scheduled for generation andtransmission for that interval.
 4. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising: responsive to a technological improvement occurring duringimplementation of an episode incorporating the technological improvementinto the episodic game module scheduled for generation and transmissionfor that interval.
 5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:responsive to a real world event occurring related to the storyline ofthe game during an interval, incorporating the event into the episodicgame module scheduled for generation and transmission for that interval.6. The method of claim 1 wherein generating episodic game modulesfurther comprises: generating a technology module and content module foreach episodic game module to allow modification of the technology modulewithout requiring modification of the content of an episodic gamemodule.
 7. In a network comprising a content server and a plurality ofconnected user terminals, a method for delivering content comprising astoryline for an electronic game to at least one user comprising:constructing a plurality of episodes to relate the storyline;implementing an episode into a game module; and transmitting theepisodic game module to at least one user terminal.
 8. The method ofclaim 7 wherein an episodic game module is transmitted at periodicallyscheduled intervals.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the episodic gamemodules are transmitted monthly.
 10. A method of providing anInternet-enabled game comprising: receiving information regarding auser's current state in the game; and responsive to the current state,enabling episodic content to be accessed by a user.
 11. The method ofclaim 10 further comprising: responsive to the current state,transmitting a voice mail message related to the user.
 12. The method ofclaim 10 further comprising: responsive to the current state,transmitting a voice mail message related to the user.
 13. The method ofclaim 10 further comprising: responsive to the current state,transmitting a pager message related to the user.
 14. The method ofclaim 10 further comprising: receiving a search request from a user; andresponsive to the current state of the user in the game, transmittingsearch results to the user.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein thesearch results are game-related responsive to the search request beinggame-related and the current state of the user indicating that the useris permitted to receive game-related search results.
 16. The method ofclaim 15 wherein the search results are not game-related responsive tothe current state of the user indicating that the user is not permittedto receive game-related search results responsive to the search termentered by the user.
 17. The method of claim 10 wherein current stateinformation comprises a notification from an application module residenton a user's terminal that the user has accessed a web page.
 18. Themethod of claim 10 wherein current state information comprises a useraction.
 19. The method of claim 18 wherein the user action is calling apredefined telephone number.
 20. The method of claim 18 wherein the useraction is accessing a predetermined web site.
 21. The method of claim 18wherein the user action is requesting a specific search term.
 22. Themethod of claim 10 wherein episodic content is stored within athird-party website that is content-related to the storyline, and theusers are directed to the web-site to discover the episodic content. 23.The method of claim 22 episodic content is placed on a third party website for compensation related to user traffic to the web site related tousers searching for the episodic content.
 24. The method of claim 10wherein an episode is made available responsive to determining whether auser has submitted payment for the episode.
 25. An apparatus fordelivering episodic content comprising: a content server for storing aplurality of episodic gaming modules to which user terminals may haveaccess responsive to receiving authorization, the episodic gamingmodules having a related storyline, and in which authorization isgranted to access the episodic gaming modules serially.
 26. A method ofepisodically delivering entertainment content to a plurality of userscomprising: delivering an initial episode of content, wherein theinitial episode comprises an initial set of technology for enabling aninitial episode of content; and delivering subsequent episodes atperiodically scheduled intervals to at least one user.
 27. The method ofclaim 26 further comprising: obtaining an e-mail address from a user;and delivering information related to the entertainment content to theobtained e-mail address.
 28. The method of claim 26 further comprising:providing an e-mail address to a user; and delivering informationrelated to the entertainment content to the provided address.
 29. Themethod of claim 26 further comprising: placing information relevant tocontent of the episode on a web site maintained by a third party; andwherein the information comprises a request that the user access the website to find the relevant information.
 30. The method of claim 26comprising: identifying a relevant current event news story; andtransmitting information regarding the current event news story to atleast one user to provide additional information related to the episodecontent.
 31. The method of claim 26 further comprising: determining alink to a web site containing the news story; and wherein transmittinginformation comprises transmitting link information to the web sitecontaining the news story to at least one user.
 32. The method of claim30 further comprising: creating a false news story related to theidentified news story, wherein the false news story links the content ofthe episode to the identified news story.
 33. The method of claim 32further comprising: publishing the false news story on a web sitemaintained by a developer of the entertainment content.
 34. The methodof claim 26 further comprising: sending a message to a user's voice mailbox, wherein the message is related to the entertainment content. 35.The method of claim 34 further comprising the step of: providing a userwith a voice mail box.
 36. The method of claim 34 wherein sendingmessage further comprises sending a message to the user's voice mailwherein the message is represented to be from a character in theentertainment content.
 37. The method of claim 26 further comprising:obtaining a facsimile number from a user; and transmitting informationrelating to the entertainment content to the obtained facsimile number.38. The method of claim 26 further comprising: providing a facsimilenumber from a user; and transmitting information relating to theentertainment content to the providing facsimile number.
 39. The methodof claim 26 wherein new technology is used to implement an episode,further comprising: incrementally delivering data to related to enablingthe new technology as part of a plurality of episodes to a user.
 40. Themethod of claim 26 wherein an episode requires a video file to be playedby a user, further comprising: incrementally delivering data comprisingthe video file as part of a plurality of episodes to a user.
 41. Themethod of claim 26 wherein an application developer implements theepisodes delivered to the users using technology from at least onethird-party vendor, and the third-party vendor updates the technologydelivered to the users without participation of the applicationdeveloper.
 42. In a network comprising a content server and a pluralityof connected user terminals, a method for delivering content comprisinga storyline for an electronic game to at least one user, the methodcomprising: deconstructing the storyline into a plurality of episodes;implementing an episode into a sequence of episodic game modules; andperiodically transmitting to one of the episodic game modules to atleast one user terminal.
 43. In a network comprising a content serverand a plurality of connected user terminals, a method for deliveringcontent comprising a storyline for an electronic game to at least oneuser, the method comprising: deconstructing the storyline into aplurality of episodes; implementing an episode into an episodic gamemodule; and periodically permitting access to one of the episodic gamemodules by at least one user terminal.
 44. In a network comprising acontent server and a plurality of connected user terminals, a method forproviding entertainment content comprising a storyline for an electronicgame to at least one user, comprising: receiving a request from a userto gain access to an episode of the electronic game; and delivering anepisode of the electronic game to the user.
 45. The method of claim 44further comprising: receiving an access code from a user to gain accessto an episode of entertainment content; verifying validity of the accesscode; and responsive to the access code being validated, allowing accessto the episode of entertainment content.
 46. The method of claim 44further comprising: determining a date for the request received from theuser; and permitting access to the requested episode responsive to thedetermined date being within a permitted window for delivery.